Becky Gordon, Momenta’s Director of Admissions & Outreach, shares her story and how she started YoCovery – a combination of the teachings she has learned throughout her healing process.

I began my chapter of healing in 2011, and while at my last treatment center, I was introduced to yoga and meditation. I wasn't a big fan at first but then something shifted for me in the quietness of the movement. I was able to slow down enough to really look at what was happening to me and what it was that I was struggling with. It was here I learned that I wasn’t a horrible person that had destroyed my life, but rather that I was sick and that I had a disease. I was also able to hear the solution and realize I too could live with this chronic condition. I worked the 12 step program pretty diligently my first year and stayed close to others that were having success.

Becky Gordon, Rec Therapist, CACII, RYT500

At about a year sober, I decided to expand on my journey of self-discovery and enrolled in a 200hr level yoga certification program in Carbondale, Colorado. The training was led by the couple who owns True Nature Healing Arts, a local studio. I was immediately relieved to discover that the whole human race needs to heal and that although I had addiction, everyone was suffering from something. It helped me realize that my disease just wasn't that big of a deal and that others were going through things that I couldn't imagine. I felt less like a victim and more a part of the whole, which I had always struggled with.

My story continued on and I after I found out I was pregnant with my first child, I was able to travel to India for a month-long immersion for my next 500hr level yoga certification. The similarities between the two programs, yoga and the 12 steps, were amazing to me. The yoga philosophy dates back just a little farther than 1935 when the Big Book was written, and by a little farther, I of course mean thousands of years! This simply enhanced my experience of realizing that we are all healing from something and I felt at the time, and I still do, that I had been given a gift. I think the 12 steps are an amazing way for anyone to heal, whether they believe they are an addict or not. There are many other teachings in which I have grown from as well throughout my journey. The point is that humans have been suffering since the beginning of time and there are many proven ways in which we can heal ourselves if we have the awareness and the desire.

That gift that I referred to was the inspiration for starting YoCovery. YoCovery is simply my way of tying all that I have learned together in a combination of becoming an Addictions Counselor, studying the yoga philosophy and teachings, working the 12 steps, and now learning TRE (Tension and Trauma Release exercises). I continue to heal on a daily basis and my learning continues to blossom as well. I have been part of the creation of Momenta Recovery, a healing center for women, and I get to bring my version of all my knowledge to work and share it with the clients. Life is a mess of lessons and the way that we interpret how the world is happening for us and not to us is unique. My story is shared through YoCovery: Yoga and Recovery, a Discovery of You!

We are all connected and we don't have to battle life alone......

Becky Gordon is a Rec Therapist, Certified Addiction Counselor, Level II, and a RYT® 500 level yoga teacher. Learn more about Becky and the rest of the team here.

“My parents always talked to my siblings and me about giving back,” says Dennis Ballinger, Momenta’s Clinical Director. “At first I wanted to be a police officer, then a lawyer, then finally a doctor. Then while I was in undergrad I took a class in psychology. The professor lectured on schizophrenia and how it changes perceptions. At that moment I knew what I was going to do…be a therapist.”

That was when Ballinger decided to work in mental health.

Dennis Ballinger LMFT, CACIII

“That class made me curious about how people do what they do and make the decisions they make. I have come to believe that most people are doing the best they can. Sometimes their best doesn’t look very good from the outside but the more you get to know someone and understand them the easier it becomes to make sense of how they got to that point in their life.

He wanted to know the ‘how’ and ‘why’ people manifest drug or alcohol addiction and why some people manifest their trauma differently than others.

Ballinger is a Colorado native and went to the University of Colorado for his undergraduate in Sociology and Psychology. Following his graduation from CU, he moved to Seattle for grad school. While getting his Masters in child, couple and family therapy he started working with an organization that provided counseling to youth struggling with addiction and mental health. During his time in Washington State he worked with many treatment providers, government entities and community groups to help address co-occurring disorders.

After receiving his Masters, Dennis provided home based family counseling with minority adjudicated youth and their families. During this time he focused on using Functional Family Therapy along with other evidence-based clinical approaches to help families address their struggles and form more stable and lasting relationships.

Two and a half years later he became the Clinical Director for mental health department at the Child and Family Treatment Center he was working at. During the next couple of years he started a number of programs to help youth and families. He added a number of evidence based practices to the work done at the organization. He added an Infant Mental Health program, the Incredible Years, LGBTQ Support Services and Groups and expanded the school based counseling program and helped to establish the first health center in the school district where the organization was located. At this point Ballinger was offered the opportunity to integrate the mental health and substance abuse treatment programs for the organization; He accepted the role and established the first truly co-occurring treatment program for adolescents in Washington State. As a part of this work he incorporated a number of evidence based practices for the treatment of substance use disorders and co-occurring treatment. This included Botvin Lifeskills for prevention and ACRA and ACC for the treatment of substance use disorders. For his work, in 2013 Ballinger was given the annual award for his contribution to the treatment of behavioral health from the Washington State Division of Behavioral Health.

Dennis & Mandy Ballinger

Colorado called to him and he returned. Back in his home state, Ballinger took a position with AllHealth Network as their Manager of Child and Family Services. He oversaw four locations that served children, youth and their families throughout Arapahoe and Douglas Counties. He started their school based counseling program, implemented the Bridges Program for Adolescent Substance User and Mental Health Treatment and started a specialized trauma assessment program for the assessment of children and young adults involved in the Department of Human Services. He then moved to Director of Co-Occurring Treatment and expanded the treatment offered.

When he heard about Momenta from a former colleague, he knew he wanted to be a part of an organization that is looking at addiction as a result of genetic predisposition, trauma and attachment. It also integrates his passion for helping youth and families by helping mothers overcome and manage their challenges so that they can be the mother and woman that they want to be. He feels blessed to play a part in assisting families stop the multi-generational pattern of addiction, trauma and attachment disruptions.

“Glenwood is a great place,” he says. “It’s small compared to Denver and Seattle but it is the perfect place for treatment, you can get away and focus on yourself and your healing.”

“It boils down to this: I like what Momenta has going,” he continues. “I believe in their vision. They understand that addiction and trauma are interwoven and they address the whole person. I want to impact how people live their lives and Momenta is doing that.”

Momenta’s Clinical Director of Child & Family Services shares her background and experience in this week’s employee spotlight. We’re so grateful to have such a talented and passionate individual on our team!

“I came into the mental health field 6 years ago excited and eager to work with the youngest members of our communities, kids. I couldn’t imagine a more rewarding and fun way to spend my days. I quickly discovered that I wouldn’t get very far without also working with their parents and caregivers. And so began my passion for relationship-based work with children and their families.

Hailing from the Midwest, I joined the bounty of transplants to Colorado in 2012 to attend the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work. My education focused on work with children and families while I also received an Interpersonal Trauma Certification. From early on in my practice, I have worked with caregivers and their young children addressing a variety of concerns such as behavior management, emotional distress, parenting strategies, processing trauma, and attachment concerns. Regardless of the reason for seeking services, I have learned that supporting parents in their role is integral to the health and well-being of their children. In developing my specialty as an Infant Mental Health Specialist, I am constantly reminded of the importance of attachment-focused and trauma-informed interventions that support healthy relationships while holding in awareness the impact of our past on our current functioning and behaviors. Through my training and education, I find it valuable to look not only at what is going on in the current moment, but to also explore and give voice to our earlier experiences to be able to heal and move forward.

During my time as a therapist, I have been afforded the opportunity to practice within a variety of settings ranging from offering consultation to nurse visitation programs, school-based interventions, in-home family therapy and outpatient services. I have found it incredibly valuable to collaborate with outside providers to ensure a holistic approach that takes into consideration the specific needs and factors impacting children and their families. Connecting with schools, pediatricians, the department of human services, and others involved in families’ lives, I find offers opportunities to be an advocate for families and build understanding around behaviors and concerns that may be present.

I have worked with families in a variety of situations including those who are impacted by involvement with community partners such as the Department of Human Services and the Legal System. I’ve found that families are often managing stressors that are contributing to their current involvement. At times, this has included caregivers addressing their own mental health needs and co-occurring substance use concerns. In working with caregivers, I look for the strengths they are bringing into their role and building upon them to focus on what is working. Further, I am a believer in “good enough parenting” rather than pushing to fit an image of “perfect parenting.” I work with caregivers to highlight and strengthen the unique strengths and positive qualities they hold in their relationship with their children.

With this work, I find that I am constantly learning and growing much like those that I work with. Because of this, I value ongoing professional development to further my knowledge and training. Some of the trainings I have completed that inform my work include Child Parent Psychotherapy, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy and Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I am also an active member of the Colorado Association for Infant Mental Health, and I participate in their training opportunities.” - Christine Jackson Cole, LCSW, IMH III

We are thrilled to introduce Dirk Eldredge as Momenta’s President & CEO, as well as officially announce our partnership with 4Winds Farm to provide an unparalleled healing space for women struggling with mental health issues such as trauma, attachment, co-occurring disorders and addiction in the May 2019 issue of Roaring Fork Lifestyle!

“Our philosophy at Momenta is simple; Lead with love while providing a safe, clinically sound environment for women to heal.” - Dirk Eldredge, President & CEO

Learn more about our leadership and the Momenta Recovery experience by following the link below, or give us a call at (970) 930-6355 today!

Definition: the love, care, and attention that you give to someone or something

An important part of overall health and well-being is taking the time to tend to yourself and your needs. Often, we think of ways to care for others through love and attention. At Momenta, we want to support you in nurturing yourself through self-compassion and self-care. Sometimes taking time for yourself can be as simple as taking a break or as extravagant as a spa day. Here at the house, we spent an afternoon enjoying a DIY spa day with infused water, manicures and homemade sugar scrubs to practice tending to oneself and slowing down. How do you practice nurturance in your day-to-day?

Traveling for recovery can seem like a challenge, but the benefits often outweigh the obstacles. Take a look at some of the pros and cons in these infographics. Still not sure if traveling is a good fit? Give us a call! We’d be happy to discuss your options - even if just to refer you to someone in your local area.

TREM is a group-based intervention to help empower women and build social bonds as they recover from sexual and physical abuse. With a minimum of two female, masters-educated staff, we address the short-term and long-term consequences of violent victimization by understanding trauma and building skills to overcome its effects.